Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Aug 21, 2007 05:01am | #1

   From what wood is the deck constructed?  In many cases you would be better off just removing all old finishes and letting the wood weather to gray. Still UV is pretty rough on most woods. 

   As far as trim, you will get best results with light colors.  Also consider whether paint that is flaking off couldn't be the result of moisture problems rather than UV per se.  In other words check the flashing.   

   
   

   ---

   Edited 8/20/2007 10:06 pm ET by SteveSchoene

2. 
   YesMaam27577 | Aug 21, 2007 12:01pm | #2

   Lots of organizations have done lots of research related to outdoor wood protectants. Opaque paints have always "won" in such studies. Most paints that are designed for outdoor applications will last multiple years.

   Unfortunately, none of the transparent or semi-transparent coatings do well for longevity. The best I've seen leaves you re-coating every year.

   For me, this really leveled the playing field. Since I wanted a semi-transparent coating, and since EVERY semi-transparent coating would last a maximum of one year, I decided that I wanted the one that looked the best (so long as it also had some UV inhibitors).

   And so, once each spring, I don my Patella-T knee pads, and brush on a coat of Flood's CWF-UV in the cedar color. (Only after cleaning the deck, and letting it dry appropriately.)

   CWF-UV is boiled linseed oil, with the added UV protector, and the coloring agents (it iis also available as a clear finish.)

   Over at the Breaktime forum (Fine Homebuilding's version of Knots) there are a some guys that recommend other oil-based coatings. As I recall, Pennofin gets high marks, and there are others.

   Politics is the antithesis of problem solving.

3. 
   hammer1 | Aug 21, 2007 03:47pm | #3

   Have you looked at the Defy products? I'm trying them out but not much experience.

   http://www.opwdecks.com/defyproducts.htm?gclid=CKDY5pPQho4CFQpjHgoda39lNw

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match